SJR 35, A Resolution Proposing a State Constitutional Amendment to Allow Individuals Who Have Attained the Age of Sixteen to Apply for Admission as Electors and Be So Admitted Upon Attaining the Age of Eighteen

Voting is a foundation of democracy, a right through which we can protect and preserve our other rights. For that reason, the ACLU-CT supports extending voting rights to the greatest number of people, with the only permissible restrictions being those essential to making elections secure and fair. This must include a targeted effort to increase voter turnount among groups with traditionally low participation, like young people. One way to encourage higher youth vote turnout is through pre-registration, where young adults complete voter registration ahead of their eighteenth birthday. Once they turn eighteen, their registrations automatically move from pending to active. This is a common-sense resolution is an important first step in engaging young voters.